Atlanta Legacy Homes is a design-build residential construction company specializing in remodeling, new construction of homes in the Atlanta area as well as acquiring, remodeling and managing income properties for our investors. This blog is all about tips, ideas, and innovative approaches for the remodeling division of the company.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Thinking of painting your home to update the space? Before painting the whole room, check out these ideas for smaller projects that pack just as much style impact as a whole-room makeover, but without all the work.

Add Color to a Neutral Room

Are your rooms stuck in neutral gear? See how bright, bold blocks of wall color warm up a formerly all-beige living room.

Paint Stunning Stripes

Here are the step-by-step instructions for painting your walls with pretty stripes. Don't miss the tips and tricks section and our additional color suggestions as well.

Patches of Paint

Any room can take on a contemporary feel with this paint idea. Simply mark off squares and rectangles on the wall and fill each with a colorful paint. The area rug and bedding were the inspiration for this bright color scheme.

Linen Texture Paint Technique

With a simple linen weaver tool, textured linen glaze, and coordinating paint, you can use this technique to reinvent treasured textiles on walls, furniture, doors, and countless other decorative accessories.

Chandelier Rescue

Rescue a tired brass chandelier with a coat of silver spray paint. Two paint hues brighten the lampshades that were further decorated with dots of paint applied with the rounded end of an artist's paintbrush.

Crinkle Painting Technique

This speedy-to-apply finish involves mixing paint with glaze, applying it over a base coat with a roller, and then pressing, bunching, and partially removing the mixture with sheets of plastic.

Roundabout

A two-tone wall (pink below and green above) already makes a fresh statement. A further artistic touch of peel-and-stick circles and wooden rings (painted in vibrant hues) energizes the look, yet can be easily removed.

This timeless wall treatment does more than add texture and color to walls; it disguises imperfections such as cracks, dents, and rough patches.

Marquetry Made Simple

Achieve the look of expensive wood inlays with a clever combination of stains and paints.

Dress Up Blinds with Paint

Use rows of stamped designs to create this pretty look. See the project link below with a list of materials and instructions.

Grass Cloth Wall Project

Textured wall coverings are a popular way to evoke the faraway cultures of Asia as well as the rich texture of natural grasses. Here's how to get the look with paint.

Watercolored Wall

Color-washed walls bring movement and drama to a room's vertical surfaces. The technique is simple to master and you can layer on as many tones as you like; the more layers you add, the more interesting the finish.

Monogramming Projects

Not all letters are created equal. Favorites might start a name or create a pretty silhouette. Here are a few ways to use the letters you love.

Painted Headboard Panel Project

An easy-paint headboard creates a dynamic decor detail for a casual bedroom.

Painting Wicker Chairs for Summer

You'll love these painting projects to dress your new or old wicker with summery motifs to bring new life to any fresh-air gathering.

Striped Wall Project

Wide-stripe walls in classic pink create an irresistible room for two small sisters. We have tips for creating the look in your own home.

By the Sea

Two tones of blue create the feeling of the ocean in this child's room. A wave pattern is a fun take on more traditional wainscot.

Dresser Paint Idea

Dress up a boring chest of drawers with drawers painted with a two-tone plaid design and long pennants with school names.

Overhead Art

Inspired by a rug motif, the homeowners cut mod squares from plywood, painted them with leftover wall paint, then hung them in overlapping layers from thin chains screwed into the ceiling. They serve as overhead art and an eye-catcher to all who enter.

Make-It-Yourself Artwork

A canvas and paint are all you need to make this modern art for pennies.

Circle Around

A little paint and fun embellishments work wonders without permanency. Paintable wooden rings in white pop out on top of a butter yellow wall, though any color combination could add a vibrant touch, even in an apartment or dorm room.

Wall Squares

A playroom or child's bedroom may be the perfect place to go wild with color. Create a playful grid by taping off even rectangles and painting them bright, coordinating hues.

How to Paint Tile

Give outdated ceramic tile walls a new look by decoratively painting them in colors you love. Enamel crafts paint (available at crafts stores and discount stores that carry crafts supplies) covers well on most tiles. Learn more below.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

With exposure to water, heat, sharp knives, and more, countertops carry a heavy burden in the kitchen. Discover the pros and cons of each countertop material to help you make the right choice for your kitchen.

Butcher Block

Butcher block is the best type of wood to use for kitchen countertops. It can stand up to cooking, cutting, and chopping without dulling knives. And at the same time, butcher block can soften the look and feel of any kitchen.

Butcher Block: Pros & Cons

Pros: -- Simple to install and repair, scratches can be sanded out-- Ideal for cutting or chopping

Cons: -- Requires a food-friendly sealing that must be reapplied periodically-- Demands thorough, prompt cleaning after food preparation and spills-- Vulnerable to moisture and heat

Laminate

Laminate countertops are inexpensive, easy to clean, and available in the widest range of colors, textures, and patterns. You can even give laminate an upscale look with a sculpted edge treatment such as a classic ogee or sleek beveled edges.

Cons: -- Susceptible to damage from sharp knives and hot pans-- Deep scratches are difficult to repair-- Cannot be repaired if scorched

Stone

Stone works for serious cooks because it's durable, colorfast, and resists scorching. Plus, each piece is unique and boasts enduring good looks. The most popular choices include granite and marble. Though it's the most expensive countertop material, you can cut the cost and add texture by using tiles instead of a single slab.

Solid-surfacing countertops mimic the look of granite, glass, or other stones and boast a softer, warmer feel. This low-maintenance material can also resist damage from heat, moisture, and fading.

Solid-Surfacing: Pros & Cons

Pros: -- Wide variety of colors and design possibilities-- Can be molded into sinks-- Nonporous and resists scorching-- Scratches and stains can be sanded and buffed out

Cons: -- It's almost as expensive as real stone-- Can discolor if hot pots and pans are left in place-- Softer than stone so sharp knives can damage

Quartz-Surfacing

Quartz-surfacing countertops are made of 93 percent crushed quartz blended with color pigments and plastic resins. Quartz- surfacing can stand in for stone without all the maintenance. Its nonporous surface requires no sealing.

Quartz-Surfacing: Pros & Cons

Pros: -- Available in a larger range of colors than traditional stone countertops-- Resistant to heat, stains, and scratches-- Never needs to be refinished

Cons: -- It's almost as expensive as real stone-- Not quite as natural-looking as real stone

Concrete

Don't be afraid to move concrete indoors. Concrete is an extremely versatile countertop material. It can take on many different colors, shading, patterns, and sheens to suit any kitchen style. Concrete countertops can be poured in place or fabricated off-site and installed later.

Concrete: Pros & Cons

Pros: -- Can be stained a variety of shades and fashioned to resemble various kinds of stone-- Heat- and scratch-resistant-- It's an extremely durable material

Ceramic tile is a popular choice for kitchen countertops because it's water-, stain-, and heat-resistant. Ceramic tiles also comes in variety of styles and colors and can easily mesh with traditional and contemporary styles.

Ceramic Tile: Pros & Cons

Pros: -- Available in a wide variety of colors and styles-- Glazed ceramic tiles are extremely resistant to heat, scratches, and stains-- Easy to keep clean

Cons: -- Can be labor-intensive to install-- Grout can stain or collect food particles so grout lines require periodic cleaning, bleaching, sealing, or regrouting-- Tiles can crack or chip

Glass

Glass countertops are durable, versatile, and gaining popularity. Install just a clear top layer to match anycolor scheme or install two layers -- a clear top layer and a textured bottom layer -- to help mask scratches. Give a glass countertop added interest with a decorative edge.

Glass: Pros & Cons

Pros:-- Heat- and stain-resistant-- Easy to clean, just use a window cleaner-- Recycled-glass options (shown here) are eco-friendly

Cons: -- Can chip or break with heavy impact and may scratch-- Requires frequent cleaning-- Could be better used as an accent countertop than as a work surface

Wood

Though it's uncommon to see wood countertops -- besides butcher block -- run throughout a kitchen, a wood-topped island or baking center is popular. Using wood countertops for these prep stations adds instant warmth and charm to a kitchen.

Wood: Pros & Cons

Pros: -- Can be made from reclaimed wood for an eco-friendly option-- Surface can be renewed by power sanding-- Long-lasting

Cons: -- Vulnerable to moisture and heat-- Some raw meat or high alkaline fruit and vegetables (e.g. beets, papaya) can cause stains after extended exposure-- Requires a food-friendly sealing that must be reapplied periodically-- Could be better used as an accent countertop than as a work surface

Stainless Steel

Stainless-steel countertops can be found in kitchens ranging from traditional to contemporary style. Stainless steel can complement any kitchen because it matches many common kitchen appliances. It's perfect around cooktops and ranges where hot pots and pans often land.

Stainless Steel: Pros & Cons

Pros: -- Tough; impervious to stains and high temperatures-- Won't oxidize and develop a patina like other metals-- Doesn't need to be coated with a finish